.comment-link {margin-left:.6em;}

Sven Wechsler is a standup comic in New York. This is the blog where he posts his observational, stream-of-consciousness ramblings. For video footage and schedule, go to www.SvenWechsler.com

Saturday, May 07, 2005

Into the Heart of Darkness

Hey, long time no post. I'm not a dedicated blogger.

Anyway, I leave for Botswana, Africa this coming Wednesday. My dad is a diplomat working at the U.S. Embassy there, and I am going to visit my mother and him for a couple weeks. We'll be going to South Africa and out on safari and all those other African things. I should be more excited about this right now, but I'm so wrapped up in my world here, I don't suppose it will register until I'm at the airport.

Still plugging away in NYC. I landed a commercial on Spike T.V. (owned by Viacom - M.T.V., Comedy Central.....). It's a promotion for the new Star Wars movie coming out. Three guys with a flat tire try to use the force to fix it, then it flips to clips from the film. If you actually every watch Spike T.V. (The male version of Oxygen, theoretically) you may see it. I believe it's airing right now.

Very random. I was doing yard-work in Queens that I picked up by advertising on Craigslist (Where I get almost all of my income), when the company that books me on background (extra) work (Law and Order, pilots, movies....) called and asked if I could be at the M.T.V. building in 2 hours. I showed up, read the script with two other actors and got it. I must admit, I felt pretty cocky during and after the audition. I was part of the last group of auditioners after 2 days of auditions. They didn't call until three days later, but I kind of new I had it. That's the way this shit happens though. One second, you've got nothing, the next you're in front of a camera. The whole time, just act like you deserve it.

So, as mundane as my life sometimes scene when viewed from the driver's seat, the two above items (Botswana and the commercial) are fairly big events. Thank you blog, for putting it all in perspective.

Still fighting to get into the goddamn New York comedy clubs. This bringer bullshit (bringing in a certain number of audience members in exchange for stage time) has fucking taken over. I won't do it. First of all, I can't do it. I am pretty much only friends with comedians in this city. Second of all, bringer shows suck, because mostly it's Joe Dickweed from the office who thinks he's funny bringing in the people from the surrounding cubicles. In other words, 90 percent of the comics are terrible, because people with lots of friends aren't funny. Then, if I drag some poor soul to see the show, they have to buy expensive drinks and pay a cover just to sit through a ton of shitty pseudo-comics at a show that inevitably lasts 3 hours. Finally, it's not my goddamned job to sell tickets and beer. It's my job to be funny.

But, every friggin' club is pulling this shit now, and it's next to impossible to get in the door without going through it. I understand if clubs set the bar high, and very few comics are allowed to perform on their stage, but bringers are about setting the bar very low, and using would be comics as cash-cows. Besides the Comic Strip, none of the clubs really hold open auditions.

Fuck it. One way or another, I'll get passed this B.S.

If anybody reading this has an in at the clubs, let me know. I'm going to get out on the road and tour the country over the summer, but I'd love to stay local. Tough to do the different stuff in Ogallala, Nebraska.

I'll get back to this after Africa, assuming I don't join the Bushmen.....